What Is Tom Cruise Thinking?

Star Talks About Love In A Time Of Scrutiny

(CBS)  Wednesday, Tom Cruise makes his way back to theaters in Steven Spielberg's sci-fi epic "War Of The Worlds." Besides the film's opening, Cruise has been making headlines for many different reasons.

He recently sat down with The Early Show entertainment contributor and People magazine senior editor Jess Cagle to set the record straight. The following is an excerpt from the interview.

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Cagle: There's so much to cover, I mean...

Cruise, laughing: We could sit here for a few weeks.

Cagle: Make yourself comfortable, and I hope you brought a clean T-shirt. We have watched the last couple of months, a lot has happened.

Cruise: Has it really?

Cagle: Good for you! What is the greatest moment of the last couple of months?

Cruise: "It stared with...the last couple of months, meeting Kate, and it has just been as escalation. It's just been an escalation.

For those who live on another planet or haven't passed a newsstand in the last three months, "Kate" is actress Katie Holmes, who became engaged to Cruise on June 16.

Cagle: What would she say, if I were to ask Katie: "What do you see in Tom?" What do you think she would say?

Cruise, with a big laugh: What does she see in me?

Cagle: I can't imagine, frankly

Cruise: Jess, I know, I can't imagine. We're soul mates, dear friends, and I can't wait, can't wait, can't wait for the adventures we're going to have together.

Cagle: Why did you choose the Eiffel Tower for the proposal?

Cruise: It's incredibly romantic. For me, as an American, I dreamed of going to places like that and traveling that way. And I just wanted it to be special, and I wanted a landmark that any time she saw that it would remind us of that moment together.

Cagle: Were you worried she would say no?"

Cruise with a big laugh: No, honestly, no. I felt pretty confident"

Cagle: After you went on "Oprah," you got all kinds of heat for that, I think we all read about that. Steven Spielberg was asked about it. He said, "Tom lost his cool because he was deliriously happy."

(Cruise laughs)